Funding and depopulation are putting a strain on projects that could take years if not decades to yield meaningful change.

A nine-year-old fundraiser is preparing to tackle a triathlon challenge alongside Esther Ghey, mother of murdered trans teenager Brianna, after being inspired by her mental health message.

Jonny Huntington, who had a stroke in 2014, is aiming to become the first disabled person to succeed in the challenge.

The Budget hike to employers’ national insurance is ‘exacerbating an already tepid demand environment’, the CBI warned.